Paris Olympics 2024 Athletics: Kiran Pahal finishes 7th in women's 400m heats; to compete in repechage round

Indian sprinter Kiran Pahal finished seventh in the women’s 400m event heats in the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 on Monday. The result means that Pahal is yet to qualify for the women’s 400m final.

The 24-year-old athlete from Haryana clocked a timing of 52.51 seconds in Heat 5 of the first round, which puts her way behind her heat’s winner Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic (49.42s). The result will also be a disappointing one considering that Pahal clocked 50.92s in the National Inter-State Athletics Championships semi-finals, securing her Paris Olympics 2024 qualification.

As only the top three runners from each heat gain direct qualification into the final round, Kiran Pahal will not be among those runners who have secured their qualifications on Monday. Instead, she and the other runners outside the top three will take part in the repechage event tomorrow (August 6) in hopes of continuing their Paris Olympics 2024 journey.

Kiran Pahal, a three-time national champion in the 400m category, is one of India’s up-and-coming stars in the 29-member athletics contingent sent to the French capital. The sprinter, who is ranked 139 in the world in 400m running events, will hope to give her all in the repechage event on Tuesday in hopes of securing a berth in the final round of the women’s 400m event at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024.

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Paris Olympics 2024 Athletics: Women’s 400m Round 1 Heat 5 Results

1. Marileidy Paulino (Dominican Republic) - 49.42 (Qualified)
2. Aaliyah Butler (United States of America) - 50.52 (Qualified)
3. Susanne Gogl-Walli (Austria) - 50.67 (Qualified)
4. Sharlene Mawdsley (Ireland) - 50.71
5. Aliyah Abrams (Guyana) - 51.55
6. Lurdes Gloria Manuel (Czechia) - 52.20
7. Kiran Pahal (India) - 52.51
8. Cynthia Bolingo (Belgium) - 52.77

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